Jimmie Loraine Mangrum

Visitation will be Monday from 9:30am - 11:00am at Baldwin-Lee Funeral Home in Pearl with funeral services at 11am in the chapel. Interment will follow at Cedar Lawn Cemetery in Jackson.

Jimmie Loraine Reed was born March 8, 1928, to Tom and Lizzie Reed in Jackson, MS. She attended George Elementary and Central High School, where she graduated 70 years ago on May 31, 1946. She married Bobby Ray Powell during her senior year and started their family on King Drive in Pearl. Over time, Leonard, Ricky, Steve, and Debra were born. One of her greatest heartbreaks was losing Ricky as a baby, when he passed away. But life continued and so did she. Some time after her marriage to Bobby ended, Jimmie's prince - a big ole’ country farmer from Kosciusko with a great smile and an infectious laugh, rode in and swept her off her feet. Bill Mangrum taught her to fish and ride in a boat (once and only once!), how to garden, play bingo, and dominos. He took her to the American Legion to dance every Friday night. And he occasionally brought home a hot loaf of Hardins bread. He adored her and called her "Hon." They married in June 1970, bought a big orange recliner for the living room, and began their journey together.

She chose the career of drafting when the oil business was booming. Day after day she taught herself the trade -- slowly, meticulously, perfectly drawing maps by hand for oil exploration. Then for extra money, she'd take maps home to color at night.

She would be the first to laughingly tell you that she hated to read but that she loved to create. She always had a craft project started. Once it was finished, she'd neatly stack it on the dining room table, head back to her chair, and start something new. If she saw something she wanted to make but had no pattern - no problem! She'd just figure it out on her own. When the fair would come to town, she'd drive her creations down to the annual craft show. Two weeks later she'd retrieve them along with all the blue ribbons she had won. Her hands were always busy, always working - up until a few weeks ago as she made tiny crocheted penny purses, with sweet Bear wedged in the space right beside her.

When she wasn't crafting, she was cooking! Macaroni and cheese, biscuits, roast, hamburger steaks and gravy, meatloaf, best cornbread muffins in the state, chicken 'n dumplins, chicken 'n dressing, chocolate pie with homemade crust, banana pudding, sweet potato pie ...MMMMM! Oh, and if you showed up unannounced and were hungry, no worries! She'd just throw on a pot of the best spaghetti in town. Never a recipe, she just knew how.

Jimmie Mangrum was happiest when she was helping. Never selfish or self-serving, always joyful, always hopeful. Always finding the bright side, no matter the situation. Jimmie's goal in life was to love and help. Job well done, maw maw. Job well done.

The family wants to graciously thank the healthcare workers that cared for Jimmie over the past few months. Their compassionate care and servant hearts touched this family deeply. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Jimmie Mangrum is survived by her children: Leonard Powell (Kathy), Steve Powell (Robin), and Debra Bagwell; grandchildren: Jeremy Powell (Staci), Jessica Carr (Ben), Samantha Klein (Jordan) and Malen Bagwell; and great grandchildren: Riley, Marin and Karis Powell.